Improvement in can-soldering machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W..J. GfORIDON. CAN-soLnEmm-G MACHINE, N0.17Z,9Z1.. Patented. Feb. 1, 1876.

MPETERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASNINGTDN. D C.

1! r f. E

WILLIAM J. GORDON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAN-SOLDERING MACHINES.

specification forming part of Letters Patntno. 171921, dated Fobfuary 1, 1816; application fusa i October 11'l 1875.

' iication:

The object of my invention is to facilitate the operation of soldering the caps'ontofilled sheet-metal cans' by supporting a series of them, above a depositing andlglifting tray, upon a corresponding series of distinct rotary carriers, /each provided with a pinion on its shaft, andoperated by a central spur-wheel supported in a suitable frame, which also supports, in an adjustable manner, above the series of carriers, a corresponding series of peculiar soldering-irons, kept heated by ignited gas or gasoline supplied throughlresgective elastic tubes, which communicate with a main supply-pipe above, so that the said hot soldering-irons can be readily raised and lowered by a treadle or otherwise, as occasion requires, during the use of the machine, as'will be more fully described and explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in .which- 'Figure 1 is a perspective view of themachine embodying my invention, with the cans inserted; Fig. 2, a vertical central section of Fig. 1, without the cans. Fig'. 3 is a Vertical central section of one of the peculiar soldering-irons, showing its gas-pipe in connection with its flexible tube-enlarged and detached from the machine', Fig. 4 is a diametrical section of the upper end of a can, with its cap enlarged'to correspondwith the soldering-iron shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the depositing and lifting tray detached. a y

Theframe A is provided with a circular platform, a', and an upright arm, a, xed upon it, which together support all the moving parts of the machine (and especially the cans B) when placed on their rotary carriers C,`

substantially `as represented in Fig.l 1. The vertical shafts of the carriers O 'each has a pinion, c, xed onits lower end, and each pinion c gears with a central driving-wheel, c, which is rotated by a pair of bevel-Wheels, D, operated by a shaft, d', and hand-crank d".

respective journals passing-loosely through platforms 29 and a', and tightly through the '.NI'ID STATES .l'A'rJti'v'r(brauen.

pinions c', respectively, so that, when the central wheel c" is rotated, the said can-carriers O will each be simultaneously rotated, but with much greater velocity. Each of the cancarriers C is made in two horizontally-divided parts, attached together,witli an elastic cushion or spiral springs, 1, between, (sce Fig. 2,) for the purpose of allowing the respective ycans B to have anv elastic up-and-down motion, as well as a canting one, to cause the cans to yield snfciently to the soldering-irons E, as will be described or explained. Each of the said carriers C has its vertical sides and bottom cut away by three equidistant. rectangular recesses, 2 2 2, whichextend toward the center of the carrier about one-fifth of its diameter,

substantiallyv as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Thel object of' the said recesses will be eX- plained after describing the tray, which is shown enlarged in the plan view, Fig. 5.

The pinion c at the front side of the machine (see Fig. 1) has a vertical through-hole near its perimeter, into which a vertical rod,

3, will slip and stop the motion ofthe can-car riers C soon after the foot of the operator has been takenv off of the treadle F, which is a lever of the first class, a spiral spring, 7, continually tending to lift the fulcrum f of the treadle, turning in the lower part of the frame A, and its weight end extendingback beyondl i the frame, where it is articulated to a nearlyvertcal bar, 4, which extends upward nearly to the upper end of the upright arma of the frame A; a horizontal lever-bar, 5, having' itsful-` 'Y cruln-pin inv alixed hanger, 6, and its two ends articulated to the respective bar 3 and bar 4,'

so that when theoperator places his foot up-` i on the'treadle F the latter lifts the bar 4, and. -l

consequently, also, the rear end of lever 5, thus forcingdownwar'd the opposite end of the same,

and consequently drawing the sliding rod 3 the' pinion c above it, and thus permits the -downward'out ofconnection with the hole in geared wheels c c to be rotated by means of the cranked shaft d.

The tray P (see Fig. 5) is intended to be used for lifting on and o" the series of cans. It consists of a thin circular plate having a anged rim, 12', to strengthen it and a series of equidistant through-holes, p, each provided with three radially inward-projectinglugs, 35, which correspond in position with the respective recesses2 of the carriers C, but still small enough to pass freely down through the said recesses 2 and allow the tray to rest down upon the upper platform 29, substantially as shown in Fig. 2. lhe upper side of each projecting end of the lugs 35 is notched or sunk, so as to form a step, 36, to receive the lower end of the can B and keep it concentric in the upper halfof its respective hole p, when the said can is placed upon the steps 36. In using-the tray P each can, with its cap laid over its mouth, is placed so as to rest upon the steps 36, the tray then lifted and placed with its holes p concentrically over the respective carriers (l, and lowered down until the said tray rests upon the upper platform P, thus leaving the cans resting concentrically upon their respective carriers C, as represented in Fig. 1. The tray is recessed at 37, (see Fig. 5,) to receive the upright arm a, and thus cause the, said tray always to t the recesses 2 of the series of carriers C, when the sliding rod 3 is engaged with the hole in the pinion c above it, as' shown in Fig. 2.

Each of the series of can-carriers C has supported directly above it one of a corresponding series of the soldering-irons E, which is firmly held by a horizontal radial arm, 8, adjustably xed in a central hub, 9, through the center of which latter a stem, 10, is fixed to extend vertically upward, so as to slide up and down in supporting-lugs 11, which project horizontally from the upright arm a. The upper end of the stem 10 is connected by a link, 12, to a horizontal lever-bar, 13, which has its fulcrum in the upper end of the upright arm a, and its other end articulated to the upper end of the vertical bar 4. (See Figs. l and 2.) The stem e of each of the soldering-irons E is tubular, and within it a gas-pipe, H, slides within certain limits, as will, together with the pe culiar construction of the soldering-iron, be hereinafter described and explained,` the upper portion of which stem e connects with a dexible tube, 14, and all of the said exible tubes of the series connect with the boss 15 of a main supply-pipe, 16, so that the whole series of the soldering-irons E can be raised above or let do'wn upon the upper ends of the whole series of cans which may be upon the carriers C, by the movements of the treadle F, in the manner hereinbefore explained.

Each of the soldering-irons E is a hollow cylinder with copper sides, e, closed at its upper end by the flange 15 of its stem e', and open at its lower end. About one-third of the length of the copper sides of the cylinder is surrounded at its lower end by a band of steel, 16, the lower edge of which steel` baud is made thick enough to form. a seat for the bottom edge ofthe copper sides, or so that the inner side of the two will be even, and so, also, that the bottom edge of the steel band 16 shall form, in its transverse section, a double bevel edge, to correspond with the usual V,- groove 18 around the mouth and cap 19 of the can. (See Fig. 4.)

The object in making the cylindrical sides e of the soldering-iron E out of copper is because copper will retain heat for a longer time than iron or steel, while the steel soldering-edge 17 is used because it will be more durable in view ot' the friction to which it is subiected while hot.

rlhe lower end of the gas or gasoline pipe H is provided with a short hollow cylinder, Gr, (see Fig. 3,) closed at both ends, except where it communicates with the gas-pipe H at its upper end, and perforated at its sides by a series of holes, 20, through which the gas or gasoline passes into the annular space around and above it, into the hollow cylinder E, and

out through a series of holes, 21,- made through the sides of said cylinder E, and also out through the annular space 22, between the sides of cylinders E and G. Secured so as to be rotated by friction upon the cap 19 of the can C, as the latter is rotated in the operation of soldering, is a small hollow perforatedcylinder, 23, which, by its gravitation, keeps down the freshly-soldered cap ot' the can, while the soldering-iron E is being lifted out of contact with the soldered groove of the can, and also allows any steam or aqueous vapor which may` rise through the usual temporary minute vent-hole 24 in the cap to escape.

The gas-pipe H has an oval chamber, 25, with perforations through its sides, and xed in the upper end of said chamber is a tapering jet-tube, 26, which directs the gas or gasoline coming from tbe iiexible tube above 1 into the gas pipe H below, while atmospheric air enters through the perforations in 25, and

supports the combustion of the ignited gas or gasoline in and around the soldering-iron when the machine is in operation. A loose heavy ring, 27, to which is fixed a thin vertical plate, 28, rests upon the outside upper edge of the steel band 16, so that the lower edge of the said plate will rest upon the top of the V-groove of the can, and carry any holes 17; the tray then lifted and placed directly over the carriers C, with its recess 37 in juxtaposition with the upright arm a, and then slipped down until the said tray rests upon the upper platform 29, as shown in Fig. 2, thus leaving the` cans resting concentrically upon their respective carriers (l, as shown in Manci der G, soon becomes heated. The operator now places his .foot upon the treadle F, and thereby withdraws the sliding rod from the hole in the pinion c above it, and also, by the u .same downward motion of the treadle, brings each of the heated soldering-irons E down simultaneously into they-groove of the respective cans B, and immediately drops a suficient-sized lump of solder into contact with the outer edge of thev groove in the can and ,the side of the hot implement E, or near enough to the said parts to be pushedinward into contact with them by plate 28 of the loose ring 27. The operatornow takes hold of the crank di', and gives rotary motion there by to the carriers C, and, consequently, to the cans E, which-are held by friction. The solder almost immediately melts and flows around between the cans and their respective caps, two of the rotations being suflicient to complete the soldering. He'then removes his foot oli' of the treadle, and the sliding rod 3 slips up into the hole in the pinion c above as soon as the said holc'comes directly over the said rod, and instantly stops the motion of thesaid can-carriers, and raises the series of hollow soldering-irons E out of contact with the respective soldered grooves of the series of cans,

leaving the steam-vent cylinder 23 under the pressure of the weiglit of G and H,l remain a moment or two, to keep the cap of the respective can secure until relieved from contact with the hot solderingiron. The operator now lifts the tray`,'and the steps 36 thereof catch under the cans, and the whole are removed togethero" of the machine, to be snp-A plied with another series of cans to be sub' mitted to alike treatment on the machine,

the ignited. gas o'r gasoline continuing to play through and around the numerous perforations or openings in E and G, and keeping v the implement properly heated for the subse- -r quent soldering operations.

The rapidity and facility afforded by this machine for soldering the caps -onto filled sheet-metal cans will be evident, and its operation being fully explained, as well as its construction, any further remarks would be.

superfluous.

I claim as my invention- Y 1. The series of rotary can-carriers C, each constructed in two horizontally-divided parts, with an elastic cushion. or spiral springs, 1, between, and arrangedto be'revolved around a common center, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. The can-'carrier C, having the recesses 2 2 2 in each, as described, for the purpose of allowing the stepped projections 35 of the trayP to pass downward through the same,

as described. l

3. The hollow cylindrical soldering-iron E, consisting of the copper sides c and the steel band 16, extending a little below the lower end of the copper sides, and forming the beveled soldering-edge 17, and having the flamejet holes 21,`the sliding gas-pipe E, the perf forated hollow cylinder G, and the perforated steam-Ventilating hollow cylinder 23, al1 sub-l stantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown.

4. The loose heavy ring 27, provided with the thin plate 2S, in combination with the soldering-iron E, substantially 'as and for the purpose hereinbefore describedfand shown.

WILLIAM J. GORDON.

Witnesses:

BENJ. MoR1soN, WM. H. MoRIsoN. 

